The New South Wales Minerals Council does not envisage a large scale recruitment drive for overseas workers despite skills shortages in the Hunter Valley and north-west of the state.

The Federal Government continues to face opposition over its plan to bring in 1,700 foreign workers for a Gina Reinhart mining project in Western Australia's Pilbara.

It is understood Whitehaven Coal is pursuing recruitment options overseas for its mines.

Minerals Council CEO Stephen Galilee says he doubts New South Wales would ever need such a large influx of foreign workers.

"We are fortunate in many ways in that we don't have a fly-in, fly-out workforce of any significant size here," he said.

"Our workers generally are drawn from their local communities and I personally can't see that we would need those sorts of arrangements anywhere near the sort of scale they're talking about for WA."

But Mr Galilee says while New South Wales is better placed, extra skilled workers are still desperately needed.

"Workforce challenges of that nature are a priority for us as an industry association," he said.

"There is still a shortage of skilled workers for mining projects not just over in Western Australia or outback Queensland but also in New South Wales as well.

"It is something that we as an industry are focussed on."

Meanwhile Paterson MP, Bob Baldwin says he is concerned the tourism market in mining regions is suffering from miners who fly or drive out once their work is done.

"Sure they take up plane seats and that's good for the airlines, and yes they may take up accommodation and that's good for the hotel provider," he said.

"But what it impacts on the tourism industry is that those people that are fly in/fly outs aren't using the other tourism opportunities, whether it's the charter boat operator that takes people out dolphin watching, whale watching and fishing."

Mr Baldwin says that is pushing up accommodation rates.

"And what we're seeing is rates going up massively and it can be that you're paying two or $3,000 rent for a relatively small house because of the supply and demand cycle," he said.

"This provides a disadvantage to open up to a broader tourist environment."

Free trade is the oldest argument in federal politics and the issue that literally defined the federation era but opposition exists to the TPP, courtesy of the Investor-State Dispute Resolutions clause.